First lady Emine Erdogan celebrated the seventh anniversary of the Zero Waste Project on Friday, highlighting its global significance.
In a post on X, accompanied by the hashtag "7 Continents in 7 Years," Erdogan described the movement as "a breath of hope for humanity for seven years," underscoring Türkiye’s leadership in the environmental initiative.
"With the efforts of our nation, which sees nature as on trust, and the dedication of our ministries and institutions, Türkiye has become a pioneer in this global awakening,” she said.
Erdoğan also praised the U.N. General Assembly's designation of March 30 as International Zero Waste Day, referring to it as a "new chapter” in the global environmental cause.
She encouraged "all nature lovers” to sign a Global Zero Waste goodwill declaration and support the initiative.
The Zero Waste Project, initiated in 2017 under Emine Erdoğan's leadership, aims to raise awareness about the importance of waste elimination in addressing climate change. Managed by the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, the project focuses on preventing waste, optimizing resource use, reducing waste generation, establishing effective collection systems and promoting recycling, according to the Presidency.
The campaign emphasizes public education, pushing for greater awareness of sustainability and waste management. As part of the effort, municipalities and schools have implemented new waste collection systems. Legal measures have also been introduced, including a nationwide plastic bag ban in 2019, to support these environmental goals.
